An as-yet unknown gang of cyber-spy hackers is stealing more than a terabyte of data per day from major firms, governments and others, and security experts say cyber-war will get even worse, according to a report by Team Cymru published by The Verge. Some hackers use custom-made software to take control of computer systems.

The Florida-based security company said victims of the massive hacking operation include military and academic facilities, search engines, government agencies and embassies. The hacking group is using a network of 500 servers to nab trade secrets and sensitive details from thousands of companies worldwide.

“This is Internet theft on an industrial level,” said Team Cymru director Steve Santorelli, a former detective with Scotland Yard.

One of the main countries targeted in the cyber-war is the United States. Security firm Mandiant also showed recently how a hacking group employed by China has breached the servers of hundreds of American companies in recent years in search of important data. But security experts say China isn’t necessarily to blame.

“Washington is going crazy right now,” Richard Forno, assistant director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Center for Cybersecurity told The Verge. “Everyone is pointing fingers at the Chinese. That’s not a strategic response. We should be asking why did China have this type of access for so long? What are we doing wrong? The attitude is: ‘How dare you?’ But if you’re worried about fire, then why build an all-wood house.”

China dismissed Mandiant’s accusations and said the country itself has to deal with cyber-attacks. “To make groundless accusations based on some rough material is neither responsible nor professional,” the Foreign Ministry’s representative Hong Lei said.

About The Author

Security Specialist

Bianca Stanescu, the fiercest warrior princess in the Bitdefender news palace, is a down-to-earth journalist, who’s always on to a cybertrendy story. She’s the industry news guru, who’ll always keep a close eye on the AV movers and shakers and report their deeds from a fresh new perspective. Proud mother of one, she covers parental control topics, with a view to valiantly cutting a safe path for children through the Internet thicket. She likes to let words and facts speak for themselves.